The Matrix Bonuses in all their terrible glory., And how to get fucking rid of them. Options Track this topic Email this topic Print this topic Download this topic Subscribe to this forum Display Modes Outline Switch to: Standard Switch to: Linear+

[ShadowDragon8685]

I do not have a copy of SR5 yet. However, someone on Dumpshock was kind enough to link to This post on Shadowrun4.com wherein KarmaInferno discloses all the horribleness in its terrible glory.

Here is that list in its unadulterated state of poo, by the way. I've omitted the "No wireless bonus" entries, which is ironic as many of them were things that bloody well could have done with wireless boni. (Seriously, dafuq were they smoking? Your goddamned cyberblades need internet access to snap out, but your commlink, something which is by design intended to handle large amounts of data, can't get a boost by cloud computing? Come on guys, there are glaucoma patients and traumatized war veterans who desperately need whatever it is you smoked!)

[ Spoiler ]

THE GRAND LIST OF WIRELESS BONUSES

- Melee Weapons

Forearm Snap-Blades: Free Action to activate instead of Simple Action.

Survival Knife: AR-display GPS functions, can be used to make comm-calls.

Extendable Baton: Free Action to activate instead of Simple Action.

Stun Baton: Slowly recharge via induction.

Telescoping Staff: Free Action to activate instead of Simple Action.

Monofilament Whip: Free Action to activate instead of Simple Action, retract instead of entangling on a glitch, +2 Accuracy

Shock Gloves: Slowly recharge via induction.


- Firearms

Defiance EX Shocker: Successful hit transmits target's health status.

Yamaha Pulsar: Successful hit transmits target's health status.

Fichetti Tiffani Needler: Change color of gun as a Simple Action. (Apparantly you can't change the color without it)

Fichetti Pain Inducer: Slowly recharge via induction.

Parashield Dart Pistol & Rifle: Dart reports back to shooter about successful injection, and some basic medical info of target.

Ares Antioch-2, ArmTech MGL-12, Aztechnology Striker, Onotari Interceptor: Use Wireless Link trigger even without DNI.


- Firearm Accesories

Airburst Link: Must have Wireless mode on to function at all.

Bipod/Tripod: Free Action to activate/stow instead of Simple/Complex Action.

Concealable Holster: Alter pattern and color in real time improving concealability.

Gyro-Mount: Free Action to Quick Release instead of a Complex Action.

Hidden Arm Slide: Free Action to ready weapon.

Imaging Scope: Share camera feed with teammates.

Laser Sight: +1 DP bonus in addition to the normal Accuracy bonus

Periscope: Reduce the DP penalty for shooting around corners to -2 (Which the periscope ALREADY DOES)

Silencer/Suppressor: Built in microphone can detect if someone reacts to the sound of the silenced weapon. (Wait, why does this need Matrix?)

Smart Firing Platform: Control platform remotely.

Smartgun System: DP bonus in addition to the normal Accuracy bonus.


- Grenades, Rockets, and Missiles

Grenades: Use Wireless Link trigger even without DNI.

Flash-Pak: Pak avoids directing flashes at subscribed characters, reducing penalty for those characters.

Rockets & Missiles: Use Wireless Link trigger even without DNI.


- Explosives

Detonator Cap: Set detonator's timer with a Simple Action, or detonate immediately as a Free Action.


- Clothing and Armor

Electrochromic Clothing: Free Action to alter color instead of Simple Action.

Chemical Seal: Free Action to activate instead of Complex Action.

Thermal Damping: Additional data from surroundings adds a DP bonus to Sneaking.

Riot Shield: Slowly recharge via induction.


- RFIDs

Sensor Tags: Monitor sensor feed in real time


- Communications & Countermeasures

Bug Scanner: Substitute device rating for Electronic Warfare skill.

Data Tap: Self destruct remotely as Free Action.

Jammer: Set jammer to not affect specific targets

Micro-tranceiver: Range becomes 'worldwide'.

Tag Eraser: Slowly recharge via induction.

White Noise Generator: Triple effective radius of effect. (Buh?)


- Optical, Audio & other Sensors

Vision Enhancement: DP bonus in addition to the Limit bonus on Perception visual skill tests.

Spacial Recognizer: DP bonus in addition to the Limit bonus on Perception audible skill tests.


- Security Devices, B&E Gear

Autopicker: DP bonus in addition to the Limit bonus to pick a lock, due to accessing online database of locks.

Maglock Passkey: +1 bonus to rating.

Sequencer: +1 bonus to rating.


- Chemicals

Thermite Burning Bar: Ignite bar remotely. (Buh?)


- Survival Gear

Gas Mask: Mask analyses air around you.

Gecko Gloves: Shut off stickiness wirelessly.

Hazmat Suit: Suit analyses environment around you.


- Biotech

Medkit: DP bonus in addition to the Limit bonus on First Aid skill tests, or can operate by itself at ratingx2 DP.

Trauma Patch: Patient stabilizes automatically instead of having to make a test. (Seriously? The Matrix Heals!)


- Cyberware

Datajack: Adds Rating 1 Noise Reduction

Skilljack: "The extra boost from the Matrix" increases the total max combined Skillsoft ratings from Ratingx2 to Ratingx3

Fingertip Compartment: Accessing compartment is a Simple Action rather than Complex. (SERIOUSLY?!)

Internal Air Tank: Activating/Deactivating tank is Free instead of Simple, tank reports current air level.

Reaction Enhancers: Allows stacking with Wired Reflexes.

Skillwires: +1 Limit to skillsoft tests due to expanded memory cache.

Smuggling Compartment, small & large: Accessing compartment is a Simple Action rather than Complex.

Wired Reflexes: Allows stacking with Reaction Enhancers.

Cyberarm Gyromount: Free Action to activate instead of Simple Action.

Cyber Holster: Free Action to ready weapon instead of Simple Action.

Hydraulic Jacks: +1 DP bonus in addition to Limit bonus. (WHY?)

Without having access to an SR5 book, I am going to say that, sight-unseen, here is how I would be houseruling things.

1: Everything that gets implanted in your body gets hardwired to your brain, for better or for worse, unless it's something with a nefarious purpose that wasn't put there by you, such as the cranial bomb that Renraku so thoughtfully fitted you with as a farewell present after your stint in their corporate prison.

2: Connectivity works exactly as it worked in SR4. You CAN wirelessly connect the things you're wearing, but if you're more security-conscious than that, you can fit them with skinlinks or connect them via fiber-optic cable. Esoteric connections (such as laser and skinlink) still work and exist as they always did.

The "Wireless Boni" (seen above) get adjusted as follows:

Many things have been tagged with simpler boilerplate.
PAN means that it works in the listed "wireless bonus" manner if it is connected to your PAN by any means, but does not need Matrix access to function. (IE, it will still work IN A CAVE, with a BOX OF SCRAPS. As long as your PAN is functioning.) You can command it by any means at your disposal for manipulating your PAN, including free, if you have a direct neural link of some sort or another, such as an implanted commlink/deck or an implanted datajack connected by fiber-optic. It CAN be done wirelessly, sure.
INDUCTION CHARGE is an interesting case. Things which charge by induction will always do so, they don't have to broadcast their location to the Matrix. If the induction power is available, it is available passively, and the devices can recharge. And even if some place has instituted a system where the induction charge needs a device to say "Hey, I'm waiting for a charge here, fill me up," it may have to broadcast its location to the charger, but it still does NOT have to listen to anything the Matrix is saying.
CYBER means that it's implanted and functions as though it were always connected to your PAN, because it's been WIRED INTO YOUR SKULL!
If it has any other text, then it was interesting enough to warrant me thinking about it and dedicating my thoughts to text. Now those are indented, too!

[ Spoiler ]

THE GRAND LIST OF WIRELESS BONUSES as adjusted by me

• Melee Weapons
  
  • Forearm Snap-Blades: Free Action to activate instead of Simple Action.
    PAN
  • Survival Knife: AR-display GPS functions, can be used to make comm-calls.
    

    Interesting - this actually is a genuine "Matrix Bonus," in that it incorporates an ultra-simple commlink into the knife. Obviously, the knife would still work as a knife without Matrix connectivity - and indeed, would continue to work as a knife even if the ultra-simple commlink were completely bricked.

  • Extendable Baton: Free Action to activate instead of Simple Action.
    PAN
  • Stun Baton: Slowly recharge via induction.
    INDUCTION CHARGE
  • Telescoping Staff: Free Action to activate instead of Simple Action.
    PAN
  • Monofilament Whip: Free Action to activate instead of Simple Action, retract instead of entangling on a glitch, +2 Accuracy
    

    PAN activation. Also, dafuq? How does being on the Matrix grant the whip accuracy or prevent entangling? Did somebody invent a Smartwhip Link now? Actually, I'd suppose it's not too far-fetched that someone made a monowhip out of myomer, so call that a more expensive version (+50% cost) that can interface with a smartlink for the listed boni.

  • Shock Gloves: Slowly recharge via induction.
    INDUCTION CHARGE
  
  
• Firearms
  
  • Defiance EX Shocker: Successful hit transmits target's health status.
    PAN
  • Yamaha Pulsar: Successful hit transmits target's health status.
    

    PAN, but the darts will have to burst the data over the air, giving away their location, and you'll need something to be at least passively listening to display the data.

  • Fichetti Tiffani Needler: Change color of gun as a Simple Action.
    PAN
  • Fichetti Pain Inducer: Slowly recharge via induction.
    INDUCTION CHARGE
  • Parashield Dart Pistol & Rifle: Dart reports back to shooter about successful injection, and some basic medical info of target.
    

    PAN, but the darts will have to burst the data over the air, giving away their location, and you'll need something to be at least passively listening to display the data.

  • Ares Antioch-2, ArmTech MGL-12, Aztechnology Striker, Onotari Interceptor: Use Wireless Link trigger even without DNI.
    

    Well, yeah. It would need to be listening to wireless commands to fire when it's not in your hands.

  
  
• Firearm Accesories
  
  • Airburst Link: Must have Wireless mode on to function at all.
    

    MOTHER-FU ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! Okay, I'm calm: it's PAN. You can set the airburst before launching as some kind of action if you don't have DNI (manually, if need be, via a control on the launcher,) as a free action with DNI, or you can just launch it and tell it to wait for detonation, which takes the same sort of actions.

  • Bipod/Tripod: Free Action to activate/stow instead of Simple/Complex Action.
    PAN
  • Concealable Holster: Alter pattern and color in real time improving concealability.
    

    PAN, but you'll need some kind of sensors for it to work. Either buy one with a few basic cameras built in, link it to your tacnet/your cybereyes, or actually let it be wireless and grab data-streams from the thousands of cameras looking around, if you're too cheap to do that and so stupid as to allow something that is by definition intended to be covert look up Mitsuhama Real Time Street View to get a picture of what you're wearing and where you are, but only in areas where such feeds are appropriate.

  • Gyro-Mount: Free Action to Quick Release instead of a Complex Action.
    PAN
  • Hidden Arm Slide: Free Action to ready weapon.
    PAN
  • Imaging Scope: Share camera feed with teammates.
    

    We call this a "TacNet." By definition, it's networked, so unless your entire team is literally connected by wires, it's gonna have to be Matrix.

  • Laser Sight: +1 DP bonus in addition to the normal Accuracy bonus
    PAN. FUCKING PAN!
  • Periscope: Reduce the DP penalty for shooting around corners to -2.
    PAN
  • Silencer/Suppressor: Built in microphone can detect if someone reacts to the sound of the silenced weapon.
    PAN
  • Smart Firing Platform: Control platform remotely.
    

    Actually, yes. The Smart Firing Platform basically turns the gun into a small, immobile drone, so you do need to use the Matrix to issue it commands.

  • Smartgun System: DP bonus in addition to the normal Accuracy bonus.
    

    PAN! For the love of Ghost, PAN! This would ONLY matter if you were taking a SNIPING shot across significant distances of open, aboveground terrain and were so stupid that you didn't bring your own air sensor.

  
  
• Grenades, Rockets, and Missiles
  
  • Grenades: Use Wireless Link trigger even without DNI.
    

    Well, yeah. That's kind of the point of a wireless detonation.

  • Flash-Pak: Pak avoids directing flashes at subscribed characters, reducing penalty for those characters.
    

    Actually, this is kind of useful, and makes sense. Of course, it also gives away the position of those characters.

  • Rockets & Missiles: Use Wireless Link trigger even without DNI.
    Wireless detonation.
  
  
• Explosives
  
  • Detonator Cap: Set detonator's timer with a Simple Action, or detonate immediately as a Free Action.
    

    PAN, unless you want to change things after it's been placed.

  
  
• Clothing and Armor
  
  • Electrochromic Clothing: Free Action to alter color instead of Simple Action.
    PAN
  • Chemical Seal: Free Action to activate instead of Complex Action.
    PAN
  • Thermal Damping: Additional data from surroundings adds a DP bonus to Sneaking.
    

    PAN, needs sensors unless you're so stupid as to allow it to connect to somebody else's sensors, in which case it will work without you having sensors, and you can expect the incoming fire directed at you to be guided by radio-frequency triangulation rather than thermal imaging. GG.

  • Riot Shield: Slowly recharge via induction.
    INDUCTION CHARGE
  
  
• RFIDs
  
  • Sensor Tags: Monitor sensor feed in real time
    

    This is kind of the whole fucking point of an RFID tag.

    
    [list]
  • Communications & Countermeasures
    [list]
  • Bug Scanner: Substitute device rating for Electronic Warfare skill.
    

    Actually, this almost makes sense, assuming it's connecting back to some kind of remote system that has an Agent equal to the scanner's device rating run the scan for you, and it checks definitions while it's at it. I would say, however, for an additional fee equal to the price of one agent with the appropriate autosoft, the device itself could keep that agent running locally, and then you just want to check definitions every now and then. (Say, fifteen minutes to an hour before you need to use a bug scanner would be ideal.)

  • Data Tap: Self destruct remotely as Free Action.
    Wireless, so... Yeah.
  • Jammer: Set jammer to not affect specific targets
    

    PAN. You need to set these functions beforehand, or else have the jammer physically installed on your person and connected to your PAN. Once it's set and deployed, it can't be changed unless at bare minimum the person who deployed it is one of those it's set not to affect, or they have a transmitter and ECCM powerful enough to cut through their own jamming and the device is actually set to give a damn about what the Matrix is telling it.

  • Micro-tranceiver: Range becomes 'worldwide'.
    Well, yeah.
  • Tag Eraser: Slowly recharge via induction.
    INDUCTION CHARGE
  • White Noise Generator: Triple effective radius of effect.
    

    Dafuq? This doesn't make any sense at all unless it's hacking every device around it to use their speakers to emit white noise, or those devices were somehow programmed to comply with such orders voluntarily. This "bonus" goes out the door altogether. Sorry, white noise enthusiasts.

  
  
• Optical, Audio & other Sensors
  
  • Vision Enhancement: DP bonus in addition to the Limit bonus on Perception visual skill tests.
    PAN
  • Spacial Recognizer: DP bonus in addition to the Limit bonus on Perception audible skill tests.
    PAN
  
  
• Security Devices, B&E Gear
  
  • Autopicker: DP bonus in addition to the Limit bonus to pick a lock, due to accessing online database of locks.
    

    Actually, this actually is a reasonable Matrix "Bonus," assuming you want your illegal lock-tampering device broadcasting its location and function. Refresh your database before you go on the Run and get your bonus.

  • Maglock Passkey: +1 bonus to rating.
    Seriously? No. Just no.
  • Sequencer: +1 bonus to rating.
    No, just no.
  
  
• Chemicals
  
  • Thermite Burning Bar: Ignite bar remotely.
    

    Assuming the burning bar has been equipped with a device which is (a) capable of receiving wireless signals and (b) capable of igniting the bar, this could work. Or you could set it on a timer.

  
  
• Survival Gear
  
  • Gas Mask: Mask analyses air around you.
    

    PAN. Or, if the gas mask features goggles or a face-shield, it can probably display that on itself, too.

  • Gecko Gloves: Shut off stickiness wirelessly.
    PAN.
  • Hazmat Suit: Suit analyses environment around you.
    

    PAN/face-shield display.

  
  
• Biotech
  
  • Medkit: DP bonus in addition to the Limit bonus on First Aid skill tests, or can operate by itself at ratingx2 DP.
    

    The DP bonus is an integral part of the medkit because duh, and operating by itself is an Agent function. I guess you could have that wirelessly done by a remote server somewhere, or, if you'd rather your DocWagon brand medkit not be phoning back to DocWagon to tell DocWagon it's in operation and working on X at Y, where Y happens to be the DocWagon facility you're infiltrating, you could get the Agent and run it locally.

  • Trauma Patch: Patient stabilizes automatically instead of having to make a test.
    

    The MATRIX HEALS! Just kidding, this is fucking bullshit. This "Bonus" doesn't exist in any form, unless the GM wants to be nice and say that trauma patches stabilize automatically passively, and never need to roll.

  
  
• Cyberware
  
  • Datajack: Adds Rating 1 Noise Reduction
    

    This actually makes a modicum of sense, if it can wirelessly connect to nearby devices and coordinate with them so your PAN and devices aren't as affected. But then, literally any device should be able to do that, too, at the small exchange of making itself known to nearby devices. But then, you don't install a datajack if you want to do everything wireless, do you?

  • Skilljack: "The extra boost from the Matrix" increases the total max combined Skillsoft ratings from Ratingx2 to Ratingx3
    

    Because nothing is more awesome than having ping issues when you're shooting FOR REALSIES! Hit a patch of lag and you'll be downloading the processed actions required to shoot your gun about a quarter-second too late. No. Just no. That said, the bonus could potentially be had if you hardwire your skilljack into a commlink or other powerful processor and run a program for it.

  • Fingertip Compartment: Accessing compartment is a Simple Action rather than Complex. (SERIOUSLY?!)
    CYBER
  • Internal Air Tank: Activating/Deactivating tank is Free instead of Simple, tank reports current air level.
    CYBER
  • Reaction Enhancers: Allows stacking with Wired Reflexes.
    CYBER
  • Skillwires: +1 Limit to skillsoft tests due to expanded memory cache.
    

    Because ping issues are fun! Hardwire it into a powerful processor with a lot of memory (like a commlink) to get this bonus.

  • Smuggling Compartment, small & large: Accessing compartment is a Simple Action rather than Complex.
    CYBER
  • Wired Reflexes: Allows stacking with Reaction Enhancers.
    CYBER
  • Cyberarm Gyromount: Free Action to activate instead of Simple Action.
    CYBER
  • Cyber Holster: Free Action to ready weapon instead of Simple Action.
    CYBER
  • Hydraulic Jacks: +1 DP bonus in addition to Limit bonus.
    Seriously? CYBER

So, there you have it. Some houserules, probably ready to go out of the box for anyone familiar enough with SR4 to have a working understanding of the SR4 Matrix topography (IE, you know what mutual signal range is and can extrapolate from that to determine if two devices can wirelessly interact through the matrix mesh,) and delivered by someone who is furious with the idea that Sammies needed a nerf or that hackers needed to be able to brick someone's cybereyes in the middle of a firefight.


[e]And now the nested lists actually work. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
[e][e]And now with additional indentations on the things with notes instead of tags.